How To Learn Accutane Side Effects

Some Accutane side effects have been fairly well publicized. Of all the available acne skin care products or treatments, Accutane is certainly the most serious, and it is intended for the treatment of only the most severe forms of cystic or nodular acne. Read on if you want to learn more about all possible Accutane side effects, so that you can determine whether or not it may or may not be the appropriate acne treatment for you. Once you read through the list of Accutane side effects, you will come to understand why many doctors view it as a "last resort" acne treatment.

Things You Will Need

You will need an interest in learning more about Accutane.

Step 1

First and foremost, women must not become pregnant while on Accutane (generic name: Isotretinoin). This is because one of the Accutane side effects is that it can cause severe birth defects, including mental retardation.

Step 2

Another one of the less severe (but still upsetting) Accutane side effects is that it can cause extreme dryness and irritation in the skin, mouth and eyes. Some people even experience eye infections such as Pink Eye while taking this particular acne treatment.

Step 3

If you give blood regularly, you should also know that because it is such a serious medication and because Accutane side effects can be so detrimental, Accutane is actually on the list of medications you cannot be actively taking if you want to donate blood.

Step 4

Some of the rarer Accutane side effects include nausea, gastrointestinal distress, headaches, vomiting, eye problems (including diminished night vision), and several other problems.

Depression is another one of the Accutane side effects you may have heard about. Some people even feel suicidal while taking Accutane, which is another reason you will want to think very carefully about whether or not Accutane would be an appropriate acne treatment for you. (For instance, if you have any history of depression, you will want to discuss the risks of taking Accutane with your doctor.)

Tips & Warnings

People are sometimes surprised to learn that when taking Accutane, their acne might become more severe before their skin starts to improve. (This is not true for all patients using this acne treatment, but it is a side effect for a significant number of them.) Because of all the possible Accutane side effects, there are several other acne treatments that you will probably want to consider before resorting to Accutane. If you are interested in reading additional articles about health, check out this one and this other piece.